AN 'INTELLIGENT' young man has been jailed for nine months after detectives uncovered thousands of pounds worth of cannabis and 33 cannabis plants at his home.

Duncan Hine, 24, was caught after CID officers swooped on his home in Brook Road, Tarporley, at 8pm on September 12. He admitted three drugs charges when he appeared before Northwich magistrates last month and appeared at Chester Crown Court for sentence on Tuesday.

Police executed the warrant at his house because they suspected the drugs were destined for sale to youngsters on the streets.

But Hine, who is taking flying lessons and hopes to become an instructor, said the plants and 18oz of resin recovered from the property were for his own use and for sale to close friends. Peter Moss, prosecuting, said that Hine had no previous convictions and had only started using cannabis in January.

He said: 'He told police he had been supplying cannabis resin to his friends for about three months. He said the bush he was growing upstairs was all for his own use and £160 seized from the kitchen was probably the proceeds of the sale of cannabis.'

Mr Moss told the court that drugs paraphernalia was also recovered at the house, including a filter to get rid of cannabis smells and a set of scales used to weigh the drugs he bought.

Following the raid, Hine was charged with supplying the Class B drug cannabis resin, possessing resin with intent to supply and cultivating a total of 33 cannabis plants.

Judge Elgan Edwards, Honorary Recorder of Chester, told Hine he would take into account the guilty pleas, his previous good character and that was only a small-time dealer.

He added: 'But those who supply others with any illegal drug commit a serious crime and I am afraid I have no alternative other than an immediate custodial sentence.'

Hine was also ordered to pay £203 court costs out of the proceeds found in his home and a destruction order was made for the drugs and related paraphernalia.

Matthew Dumford, defending, said: 'The tragedy of this case is that this is a young man who is intelligent. He has seven GCSEs. He has the capacity to lead a good life. He did not realise how serious these matters were.'

* Police also arrested three 19-year-olds at Hine's address ­- one of the teenagers was released without charge and another was cautioned for possession of cannabis.

But the third, Gareth Metcalf, of Sadlers Wells, Bunbury, was charged with possession of cannabis and also appeared at Northwich magistrates last month, where he was fined £50 with £50 costs.